Sedation Dentistry and Dental Anxiety 

Sedation Dentistry and Dental Anxiety 

Dec 01, 2019

Dental anxiety is a common phenomenon in the medical world. Patients reserve different anticipation that create feelings of fear and anxiety for dental works. Pediatric dentists are the medical experts that deal with dental anxiety the most.

However, dental anxiety does not only happen to children. Some adults experience severe dental anxiety that holds them from considering dental care of any form. The danger of this is that is compromises the oral health of these people, allowing for gradual deterioration.

Understanding Sedation Dentistry

It involves the use of medication before any dental works, to help a patient relax on a dentist’s chair. Sedation Dentistry in Houston, TX, is a solution put in place to counter dental anxiety to help patients cope with phobias associated with dental works. It has been used for different kinds of dental procedures over the years, ranging from simple ones like teeth whitening to complex ones like periodontal treatment.

The idea behind Sedation Dentistry at Houston, TX, is to ensure that patients sit still during different oral works. The different types of dental works require meticulous attention to detail and a steady hand to achieve the best results. Regardless of how skillful the dentist working on your mouth is, if you are not sitting still, it might be difficult to achieve any meaningful progress in your dental treatments. Some patients have bad reflexes that can be dangerous for them, as well as the dentist. To control such behaviors, sedatives are used in different forms, levels, and types.

Types of Sedatives Used in Dentistry

Sedation dentistry is practiced legally and comes in different forms. The differences in the types of Sedation differ by concentration as well as the effects they have on the patients. High concentrations of sedatives are used when the dental treatment process takes a lot of time and involves in-depth surgical intervention. A dentist houston TX often determines the level of sedation to give to you, based on how much you need it for the surgery.

The levels of Sedation differ, ranging from minimal and mild, to moderate and deep. For most types of sedatives, the concentration of the drug can be controlled during the procedure. The different types of sedatives are:

  • Inhaled minimal sedation: a sedative of nitrous oxide combined with oxygen is used in this Sedation. A mask is placed over the nose of the patient, and then amounts of nitrous oxide are allowed. As the patient inhales the gas, the sedative begins its work. This has, otherwise known as laughing gas, has been known to help keep patients relaxed. The patient is alert and awake throughout. However, they feel relaxed through the different dental works. The effects of the gas are minimal and therefore used for minor nonsurgical dental procedures.
  • Halcion pill: oral sedation involves the use of a pill called Halcion. Your dentist will give you the pill to swallow, preferably an hour before your procedure. The pill will put you relaxed and at ease. Depending on how critical the dental process is, the level of Sedation may differ. It can range between minimal and moderate sedation. Most patients are conscious of the oral procedure. However, they may vaguely remember the happenings of the events. Some patients can even fall asleep from moderate oral sedation. The outcome depends on the level of Sedation administered. Oral sedation happens to be the most common in dentistry.
  • IV moderate sedation: this type of Sedation involves an injection. A dentist injects a sedative directly into your veins. This type of sedation works faster because of the direct contact with the blood in the veins. The sedative drug is worked into your veins in levels. This allows for adjustability of the level of sedation
  • General anesthesia: it is commonly known for intense surgical procedures because it is a deep level of Sedation. Some surgical procedures take time and are very invasive. For such, the patient does not need to be aware of his/her surroundings. Critical dental processes rely on general anesthesia that keeps patients deeply asleep throughout the period. The deep sleep makes it hard for the patient to wake up until the sedative wears off.

Description of this Blog: This article is about the different types of sedatives used in Sedation Dentistry and how they are useful in neutralizing dental anxiety.

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